Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Kennywood's open

Theory to ponder: Kennywood's pending sale was pushed over the edge because of the new Allegheny Drink Tax.

Blame Dan Onorato.

Blame the Dems on Allegheny County Council, plus the one R who is on his way out.

A top official spoke to the county council about the drink tax a month or so ago. He said that the move of the IC Light concert venue from Station Square to Sandcastle was 'on the rocks' because of the drink tax. He thought it might not 'wash.' He gave a stern warning.

I'll look for the video later.

The present owners may have just had enough. The park charges a RAD tax to its customers. Meanwhile, that RAD money goes to the county and then flows directly to Kennywood's local competitors, and I don't mean Six Flags.

The upside: Perhaps the new owners will have the cash to install that monorail it owns and is in storage and send the line from Kennywood, its parking lot, to Homestead and Sandcastle.